1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to junction boxes for making electrical connections, and more particularly, to junction boxes adapted for use with multiple drivers.
2. Description of Related Art
Lighting based on light-emitting diodes (LEDs) has become increasingly popular because of its high efficiency, relatively low cost, and adaptability. However, as LED-based lighting has come into wider usage, a number of challenges have arisen. Chief among those challenges is the fact that most LED lighting does not operate on typical household or commercial alternating current (AC) power. Many LED lighting systems operate at a lower voltage, and most use direct current (DC) power, rather than AC power.
In order to supply power of the necessary type at the necessary voltage, LED lighting systems usually include one or more drivers between the power source and the actual LEDs. The driver, typically a transformer/rectifier, converts the incoming power to the type and voltage of power needed to power (i.e., drive) the LEDs. As one example, LED lighting may operate at 5V, 12V, or 24V DC, whereas household or commercial current is typically 110V, 220-240V, or 277V. Drivers come in a wide variety of sizes, depending on the input voltage, the output voltage, and the amount of power that the driver is to supply.
For reasons of electrical safety and convenience, connections to a driver, and from the driver to an LED or cable, are made within a junction box, typically a metal enclosure. Junction boxes are subject to various safety regulations, typically including the physical separation of the high voltage and low voltage sides of the circuit. Since junction boxes are often installed in tight spaces, their installation is not necessarily easy, and the need to painstakingly pull wires through the physical barriers between high- and low-voltage sides of a junction box can make the task much more difficult.
Additionally, each junction box is typically designed to work with a single type of driver—or, at most, a limited number of drivers of similar sizes and characteristics. However, as drivers may vary considerably in size and other characteristics, this means that a working electrician may need a variety of junction boxes of different sizes and characteristics in order to handle any particular job.